This propaganda film was partly inspired by the story of the first Italian heavyweight champion Primo Carnera who, after winning the title with Al Capone’s help in 1933, was beaten the following year by the Jewish Max Bear and then again by the ‘Brown Bomber’ Detroit Joe Lewis in June 1935, on the eve of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. This match provoked numerous racial skirmishes on the streets of Harlem between the Black community and pro-Fascist Italian-Americans. The film overturns historical facts and here, obviously, it is the white boxer who wins in order to demonstrate the superiority of the “Aryan Italians” over the “sinister Jewish entrepreneurs” and the “savage Afro-American fans in Yankee Stadium”. In the film, these were played by South African prisoners-of-war interred in a work camp, which the German and Italian propaganda ministries had set up near Cinecittà “for cinematic purposes”.
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Cast
22 people
Massimo Girotti
Tommaso Rossi
Known for
Theorem
Obsession
Amedeo Nazzari
Amedeo Rossi
Known for
Nights of Cabiria
The Sicilian Clan
Carmine Gallone
Giuseppe Achille
Vivi Gioi
Muriel
Also in
Tragic Hunt
Rice Girl
Sergio Amidei
Elisa Cegani
Gangster woman
Known for
The Sicilian Clan
Emilio Cecchi
Osvaldo Valenti
Chris Sherman
Also in
The Jester's Supper
Beatrice Cenci
Giacomo Debenedetti
Erminio Spalla
Franckie Battaglia, the coach
Known for
Miracle in Milan
Poor But Beautiful
Angelo Guidi
Carmine Gallone Director · Sergio Amidei Screenplay Emilio Cecchi Screenplay
First release April 21, 1943 · Produced in Italy · Production Società Italiana Cines
Production
Cines
Production
Società Italiana Cines
Production
Italy
Produced in
Languages
Original language
Italian
Spoken on screen
Italian
Release dates
Italy · April 21, 1943
Theatrical
No release date listed for United States.
France
March 16, 1948 · Paris
Germany
October 20, 1950
Spain
December 15, 1952 · Madrid
More from Carmine Gallone
Other films they directed, best known first.
Some details come from TheTVDB.